Green Mentor : Providing resources and education to organizations who wish to minimize their impact on the environment and the commuity.

Workshops and Technical Assistance

LITE has developed a green workshop series and technical assistance program for households, groups, businesses and municipalities. Whether the preferred focus is zero waste, green businesses or green events, the process is generally the same: outreach and workshops augmented by research, clinics and one-on-one technical assistance.

Similar yet different from waste reduction and recycling program assistance, the LITE green training process also helps an event or organization be better organized as well as lessening its impact on the environment.
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How Low Can You Go?  

True or False? "People will never exchange their high impact consumer lifestyle for one that they perceive is less – less fun, less satisfying, less comfortable."

By Portia Sinnott, LITE Initiatives, Copyright, 2007

False. Most people simply need information and positive reinforcements to motivate them to establish new, lighter habits. As presented in the companion article, Shrink Your Ecological Footprint (www.liteinit.org), time management is a key to living a low impact life and to developing new habits. Information is another key. The adjacent list is chock full of websites that promote the suggested actions. Here are some additional concepts to motivate you:

Zero Waste - Or Darn Close
In nature, biodegradability is the norm and there is no waste. Zero Waste, the application of that fact, ensures that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled into the marketplace or nature.

Seriously, we believe if it can’t be recycled – it shouldn’t be made!

Some people vehemently object to this term because reaching zero is impossible. Proponents consider it a worthy goal that shouldn’t be dismissed because it is too ambitious.

The State of California is leading the way: "Now, with recycling and conservation programs in every city, we are able to embrace the zero waste concept as our guiding principal and goal for the future." www.zerowaste.ca.gov. It is not just in California, this issue is being collaboratively worked on all over the world: www.grrn.org, www.zwia.org

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
In the ZW worldview, the long-term responsibility for a product is on the producer of the item, not you the consumer or the local government agency that oversees your waste steam. The ultimate goal of EPR is clean, safe materials and production and the elimination of waste at each stage of the product’s life cycle. www.eprworkinggroup.org, www.productpolicy.org

Precautionary Principle – Do No Harm
If an action, policy or product might cause severe harm, the burden of proof should fall on those who are producing it. In other words, it must be proved to be safe before it is implemented - versus proving it is not unsafe. www.safecosmetics.org, www.noharm.org

Carbon Offsets – Trying to reconcile your actions with your values? Rather then sending money around the world and possibly through many hands, consider investing the same amount in greening your own home or donate to a local non-profit that supports your values. Internal trades are another story; no one needs to be 100% perfect. If you make an extra trip to the movie store tonight, plan to walk around town tomorrow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset.

LITE Initiatives, a California-based DIY working group, promotes simple, straightforward practices with significant consequences. LITE’s programs include Car-Lite, Community Bikes, Green Mentor and Zero Waste Sonoma County.

For more info and additional checklists, visit www.liteinit.org, or contact us at LITE at sonic.net or 707 579-5811.

How To Shrink Your Ecological FootprintLITE Checklist IICheck items you already practice. Draw a line through the impossible and circle a few you are willing to take on. Set a goal and go for it! Visit list again in a few weeks. See List I on front. 

EXERCISE/SOCIALIZE

q       Walk or bike to an event or drive part of the way and walk/bike the remainderq       Invite friends to carpool or take public transit with you. Bring route info and directions just in case.q       Green your dinner party: www.earthdinner.orgq       Share weekly meals with neighbors and friendsq       Create a neighborhood space: www.cityrepair.orgq        Surf Your Watershed: www.epa.gov/surf 

HOME

q       Buy local & organic: www.organicconsumers.orgq       One a day - short & sassy tips: www.idealbite.comq       Safe beauty products: www.safecosmetics.orgq       More fun, less stuff: www.newdream.orgq       Responsible shopping: www.coopamerica.orgq       Shrink your mail box: www.StopJunkMail.Orgq       Be hip, learn to sew: www.stitchlounge.comq       Vacation close to home: www.nps.govq       Try a green hotel: www.greenhotels.org or www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com 

SCHOOL

q       Walk/bike to school: www.cawalktoschool.comq       Teach recycling: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/schoolsq       Improve school lunches: www.food-matters.orgq       Plant a school garden: www.oaec.orgq       Green School Initiative - www.greenschools.netq       Go Green: www.gogreeninitiative.org 

ALTERNATIVES

q       Check out green building: www.usgbc.org and www.builditgreen.org, www.virtuallygreen.comq       Consider solar energy: www.ases.orgq       Visit DOE: www.eere.energy.govq       Change from diesel to: www.biodiesel.orgq       Drive electric: www.eaaev.org, www.calcars.orgq       Zero Emissions: www.zeri.org
 
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